Our Team

Bea Fry

Development Coordinator

Bea hails from St. Paul, Minnesota and is a recent transplant to Chicago. They hold a B.A. in International Relations and a B.S. in Food Studies from Syracuse University. Their background includes research on violations of the Human Right to Adequate Food and Nutrition for transgender people of color. Bea is passionate about creating and maintaining a food system which is equitable for the LGBTQIA+ community and racial minorities, promoting the integration of international human rights rhetoric into the foundation of local food systems.

Email: Bea@auachicago.org

Jazmin Martinez

Outreach Manager

Jazmin is a farmer from La Villita/Little Village neighborhood in Chicago and uses They/them pronouns. They are an owner-worker of Catatumbo Cooperative Farm currently located in South Chicago. They have previous experience working in social services providing crisis and trauma-informed support and connecting individuals and families to resources. Additionally, their background involves organizing within the immigrant rights movement. Through their work, they saw a need to create economic opportunities for historically excluded communities and was drawn to urban farming, particularly within a worker-cooperative model. Their work is grounded in reverence for the land and hands that feed and nourish us. They are committed to connecting urban agriculture with broader social justice movements to envision and create other possible worlds.

Email: Jazmin@auachicago.org

Viviana Okakpu

Programs Director

Viviana Gentry Fernandez-Pellon is a farmer rooted in Chicago’s south side. She is passionate about food and medicine sovereignty, reduction of soil and water toxicity, and generative economics. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and History from Oberlin College and has furthered her agricultural education by farming throughout North and Central America. She co-founded the community garden and 501(c)3 Cooperation Operation and The Chicago Mushroom Company, LLC. She grounds her work in a deep love for Chicagos land, water, and people.

Email: viviana@auachicago.org

Emily O’Keeffe

Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Emily is originally from the Southwest side of Chicago and has an MBA in Marketing & a BA in Environmental Policy. For the past several years, Emily has worked as an Events & Marketing Coordinator within the bar & restaurant industry of Chicago, hosting events that have contributed to nonprofit fundraising & community development, including events for urban farms and farmers markets. Emily looks forward to working with AUA to refocus her passion on environmental justice & use her experience to promote the education, advocacy & development of urban agriculture in Chicago.

Email: Emily@auachicago.org

Sean Ruane

Executive Director

Sean is committed to building a more just and equitable food system in Chicago. He was born and currently lives on the southwest side of Chicago and developed a love for growing food at an early age, while spending time at his grandparents farm in Ireland. Sean holds a B.A in Education, an M.A in Justice Education, and a certificate in Sustainable Urban Agriculture through the Windy City Harvest Apprenticeship program. Prior to AUA, Sean worked as an educator and non-profit leader for over a decade, spending six years as a classroom teacher and social justice educator, two years as a Program Coordinator with Big Green, and the last few years as Co-Founder and Director of Just Roots Chicago. Sean is dedicated to working collectively with farmers, community gardeners, and advocates to to strengthen our local food system and foster more resilient communities.

Email: Sean@auachicago.org